Benn Barham playing after cancer op

Barham hopes to be playing competitive golf in March

Ashford golfer Benn Barham has started playing rounds of golf again, two months after having a tumour removed.

The 34-year-old, who has not retained his European Tour card, had an operation to remove a cancerous kidney and his rehabilitation is going well.

He told BBC Radio Kent: "I'm back practising. I'm not 100% with my game but I'm along the right lines.

"Without my expectations rising too much, hopefully I can get back to a decent standard in the next few weeks."

Barham did not earn enough money to retain his card so his tournaments in 2011 will be on the Challenge tour, or invites on the full tour.

He has recently upped his work to the extent he is now playing full rounds.

"I'm hitting the ball quite nicely. I've been on ranges under cover away from the weather and I've been playing quite nicely," he said.

I thought 'what if I can't play again?'. It was quite harrowing at the time

Benn Barham

"I've played a couple of full rounds, the fitness element is going well.

"The money is an issue of course. I had a couple of good years on the tour but it doesn't last long. I haven't been earning for the last four or five months and it's tough.

"That's the idea though, the more work I can do now, I can play decent golf and put what happened last year behind me.

"If I can go on to be more successful than I was before that's my aim."

Barham was also aware during his surgery that his career could have come to an end.

"There was no guarantee I was going to be able to play competitive golf again," he said.

"They cut in and were pulling apart muscles to get to my kidney, you have to look at every possibility. I was chatting to one of the physios and said 'I hope to be playing golf again soon' and she said 'You should be able to play' and I thought 'Should? That's not an option'. It then sunk in and I thought 'what if I can't play again?'. It was quite harrowing at the time."

But now he is confident those worries are behind him and is already planning his comeback.

I'd also like to promote awareness in early screening, to get checked out if you've got a slight problem because I'm living proof that that has possibly saved me

Benn Barham

Barham said: "I'm hoping to be of a good enough standard to compete on 1 February. When my first tournament will be I am not sure, the Challenge Tour starts end of March.

"I could have played on the European Tour at the Joburg Open this week but my game isn't good enough yet. I don't want to just make the numbers up.

"I might get a few invites on the European Tour. I've got an email that's being sent off putting my case for an few invites, but if I don't get any invites it will be end of March in Kenya on the Challenge Tour.

"It's a bit of a sympathy vote but I've got to think of my career and earning potential rather than not playing for a couple of weeks.

"I'd also like to promote awareness in early screening, to get checked out if you've got a slight problem because I'm living proof that that has possibly saved me."